Machine tool coolant guard



April 4, 1950 H. c. KEMPER ET AL MACHINE Toor. cooLANT GUARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 IN VEN TORS.

HARRY IKE/#PER AND HAROLD J. SIE/(MANN TM (TM ATTORNEYS.

H. C. KEMPER ET AL MACHINE TOOL COOLANT GUARD April 4, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 INVENTORS. HARRY C. KEMPER Ann BY HAROLD J. 57E/(MANN ATTORNEYS.

April 4, 1950 H. c. KEMPER ET A1.

MACHINE TooL cooLANT GUARD Filed Dec. 5, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTOR.

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Patented Apr. 4, `1950 UNITED STATES ancrer OFFICE MACHINE TOOL CGLANT GUARD tion of Delaware Application December 5, 1945, Serial No. 632,959

6 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in machine tools and is particularly directed to an improved machine tool coolant guard.

One of the chief diihculties in properly cooling the work and tool in a high production machine tool is to provide a large, adequate, and copious supply of coolant at the point of operation of the tools on the work while at the same time properly coniining the coolant against loss by splashing as it impinges upon the Work and the tool. Such splashing of the coolant to other portions of the machine tool results in an unsanitary operating condition, a loss of coolant, and annoyance and disturbance to the machine attendant.

In order to properly machine a work piece under high production distortion in the work and the machine structure must be maintained at a minimum. This can only be accomplished by providing a preponderance of coolant over the work, tools, and centers and work holders supporting the work piece during the machining operation while at the same time a coolant guard must be provided which will allow this voluminous application of coolant and conne it to the Working area of the machine. Also, such a guard arrangement must not interfere with the eflicient handling of the machine by the attendant.

One of the objects of applicants present arrangement is to provide an improved coolant guard for a machine tool which completely conlnes a copious supply of coolant to the working area of the machine.

Still another object is to provide an improved coolant guard for a machine tool which may be readily operated with a minimum of effort upon the part of the operator and without interfering with the normal eiicient operation of the machine by the attendant.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coolant guard for a machine tool which totally encloses a working area of the machine during the cutting operation and which may be fully retracted away from the cutting area to allow complete access thereto in removing and applying work in the machine tool. I

Still another object is to provide a novel coolant guard for a machine toolv which may be moved by power to and from the working area of the machine.

Another object is to provide a power operated to and from the working area of the machine in a predetermined timed relationship with the working cycle of the machine.

And still another object is to provide an improved coolant guard for a lathe which may be moved to and from working position to totally enclose the working area of the machine or be removed therefrom to a position over the headstock portion of the lathe to fully expose the working area of the machine.

And finally it is an object to provide a power actuated coolant guard operable in timed relationship with the cutting cycle of the machine.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which:

Figure I is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of a lathe to which this invention is shown applied.

Figure II is an end elevation of the coolant guard of Figure I shown partly in section on the line II-II of Figure I.

Figure III is an elementary electric wiring diagram of the power operating and control mechanism for the lathe and coolant guard.

As an example of an application of this novel coolant guard to a machine tool, there is illustrated a lathe comprising a chip pan lll which is supported on suitable legs II and in which rests the bed i2 of the lathe. On the bed is mounted the usual headstock I3 and tailstock lli. The work spindle l5 in the headstock I3 has a suitable chuck I5 which grips the work piece W which is usually supported on a center Il in the tailstock barrel I8 of the tailstock I5 on the Work axis Illa of the lathe. Appropriate tool feeding devices I9 and 2B are also mounted on the bed and driven from a suitable main drive motor 2i which also operates the work spindle I5 in timed relationship with the movement of the tool feeding devices I9 and 2B as in conventional lathe practice.

The working area of the machine between the headstock and tailstock in which the work is positioned during the machine operation is arranged to be completely covered by a traveling coolant guard 22 which has a rear wall portion 22a in which is journaled a pair of rollers 23 on suitable pins 2li. These rollers rest on a rail 25 supported longitudinally oi the lathe bed by suitable brackets 25 and 2l.

The top horizontal portion 22h of the traveling coolant guard 22 is provided with an observation and light entrance window 28 to give suitable illumination on the Work when the guard is moved over the working area of the machine. The guard f4 is provided with an angular downwardly dispose portion 22e in which is provided an observation window 29 through which the attendant may readily observe the cutting operation when the guard is moved into cutting position. A tool tray portion 22d is also formed on the front of the guard adjacent the portion 22o where the opera-- tor may keep his various chuck wrenches and machine adjusting tools in readily accessible condition at all times. The front wall portion 22e extends downwardly and has journaled on its lower edge a pair of rollers 3S carried on appropriate studs 3 These rollers travel on the iront rim 32 of the chip pan longitudinally of the lathe and parallel to the rear rail 25.

The cover is of unique construction as can be readily observed in Figure II in that the entire series of sections 22a through 22e inclusive completely extend over the top and down each side of the machine tool or lathe frame. By this construction, the guard 22 may be readily moved from the working position 22u), Figure I, to the retracted position 221' in which latter position, the guard is moved over the headstock end of the lathe completely exposing the working area to access by the attendant of the machine.

The traveling coolant guard 22 is actuated in longitudinal movement from working to retracted position or vice versa by means of a suitable power means such as the electric motor 33 which is mounted on a suitable bracket 34 fixed to the chip pan l) by suitable bolts 35. This motor has a driving pinion 36 which engages a gear 3'? fixed to the stud 38 journaled in the bracket 34'. The

outer end of the stud 32 is provided with a rack pinion 39 which is adapted to engage a rack di! xed to the lower edge of the front-wall 22e oi the cover so that by energizing the motor 33 in one direction or the other the cover' may be power driven to either working' position or retracted position.

A suitable coolant pump (not shown) driven by a suitable electric motor 4| receives a supply of coolant from the chip pan I and transmits it through a pipe line 42 and a ilegible connection or hose 43 to the manifold pipe 44 carried in the top or" the coolant guard 22 and terminating in the coolant distributing manifold or nozzle 45 provided in the underside of the top of the cover 22'. This manifold or nozzle 45 is positioned preferably directly above the work W and allows a voluminous supply of coolant to be poured upon the wort: piece and cutting tools during the machining cycle.

The movement of the cover 22 by power is eifected by electrical operating and control apparatus in a predetermined timed sequence with the operating cycle of the machine tool. Assuming the machine is at rest and the coolant guard 22 is in the retracted position 227, the operator may then load the work into the chuck I6 and on the lathe center il'. To energize theV electrical operating control apparatus, the'attendant closes the main line switch iiiv connecting the leads 4'?, 43, and to the power supply leads Ll, L2, and L3 or" a three-phase alternating current supply source, thereby energizing the) conductors 4l, 2S, andr 49.

The work spindle and cutting feed movement is then started by the operator pressingv the start push button e which momentarily closes its contacts to complete a circuit from the control lead 22a, through the normally closed stop but ton 5|, lead 52, the lead 53, and the relay 54, to the control lead 49a, energizing` relay cewhch closes a holding contact 54a so as to maintain the relay 54 energized after the start button 5U has been released. Energizing the relay 54 also opens the normally closed Contact 54h. At the same time the relay 54 is energized, a circuit is also completed from the lead 41a through the stop button 5|, lead 52, contact Sila, lead 53, through normally closed Contact 55a of the limit switch 55, through the lead 55 and the contacter 51, to the lead 49a so as to energize the contacter 57, which in turn closes the associated power contacts 51a to thereby energize the coolant guard actuating motor 33 to cause this motor to move the cover from retracted position 221' toward the worl; position 22w.

As the guard 22 leaves the retracted position, a limit switch 58, which is engaged by the end a of the rack 4U when the cover is in fully rctracted position, is released so that its normally closed contact 58a closes to complete a circuit from the lead 41a, through the lead 59, normally closed contact 54h, lead and normally closed contact 61a, the lead 62, and the relay 6.2 to the leadl 49a. When the guard moves i'rom the retracted to work position, contact 54h is opened by the energizing of relay E4 so that the relay 63, which when energized closes power contacts 63a to reverse the motor 33 for moving the cover from working position back to retracted position, is not energized.

When the guard reaches the work position 2210, the end 40h of the rack 4Q engages and operates limit switch to open its normally closed contact 55a which de-energizes the contacter 51 and opens the power contacts 51a, de-energizing the guardi driving motor 33 bringing the guard to a stop in the working position 22u). At the same time, normally open contact 55h of the limit switch 55 closes to energize the contactor 64 by completing a circuit from the lead 47a, through the stop button 5|, lead 52, contact 54a, lead 53, and the lead 55, to the lead 49a.

Energizing the contactor 64 closes power contacts fc to energize the coolant pump motor 4| to start the iiow of coolant from the nozzle 45 onto the work and tools. At the same time, the contacter @ElV is energized from lead 65 so that the associated power contacts 66a are closed to energize the main drive motor 2| for rotating the work spindle and actuating the" cutting tools for the machining operation.

At the same time the contactor 66 is energized, the normally closed contact 66h is opened so that the contactor 6l will not be energized by the closing of the plugging switch contact |38. The plugging switch contact 68 remains closed due to the rotation of the motor 2| in the forward direction until after the contactor 6G is die-energized to reclose normally closed contact 66h when stopping the main drive motor. The plugging switch contact E8 closes due to the rotation of the motor 2| after it accelerates above a certain predetermined speed to thereby complete the circuit from lead 47a, through lead 69,v through relay 6|, to cause contacts Bla to open to'prevent energizing of the. contacter- (i3v until after the spindle motor 2| again slows downsuiiciently when stopping to open the plugging switch contact 68.

To stop the machine, the attendant momentarily presses the stop button 5|. This deenergizes the relay 54 and contactors 64 and 6E. Dre-energizing relay 54 opens holding contact 54a so that the stop button may be released and its contacts reclosed While still maintaining relay 54 cle-energized. Closing of contact 54h prepares a :circuit so that the contactorx63 will be energized when. contactsilct close by'de-energizing relay 6l. De-energizing of contactor 64 opens power contacts 64a to stop the coolant pump motor and thereby out off the supply of coolant to the nozzle 45. De-energized contactor 66 opens contacts '66a and closes contact 6th. Opening of contacts '66a de-energizes the spindle motor 2l for forward direction and the closing of contacts 66h completes the circuit to energize the spindle plugging contactor 61 to complete a circuit from the ylead 41a, the lead B9, and the lead 69a, through the contacter 6l, to the lead 49a, to thereby energize the contactor E1 to close the power contacts 61a to energize the spindle motor 2l for rotation in the reverse direction.

The reversely energized motor 2l develops 'torque in the reverse direction to bringfit quickly to a stop. The spindle plugging contact 68 opens when the speed of the spindle motor 2l drops below a certain value determined by the setting of the plugging switch contact 68. When the contact 68 opens, the contactor Sl and the relay di is de-energized. De-energizing the contacter El opens its power contacts 61a to de-energize the main drive motor 2l so that it will stop at zero speed and not run in the reverse direction.

The de-energized relay Bl closes its contact 6 la so as to complete the circuit to energize the contactor 63, the energizing of which closes contacts 63a to energize the guard actuating motor 33 in the opposite direction so as to retract the cover from the work position 221D to retracted position 221'. As the cover 22 leaves the working position and releases the limit switch 55, its contact 55h will open and its contact 55a will close. thus resetting the circuits to the contactors 64, 5E, and 5l' for another operating cycle of the machine. When the cover reaches the retracted position and actuates the limit switch 58 to open its normally closed contact 58a, the contactor 63 will be tie-energized so as to open the main power contacts 63a and stop the driving motor 33 for the guard to maintain the guard stopped in retracted position. After removing and reloading a new piece of work in the lathe the above cycle may be repeated by again pressing the start button 5U.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit oi the invention and that such mechanical arrangements and commercial adaptations as fall within the scope of the appendant claims are intended to be included here- Having thus fully set forth and described this invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. In a coolant guard for a lathe having a bed, headstock and tailstock members defining a work axis for said lathe, and tool feeding devices associated therewith defining a working area of said lathe, the combination of means for mounting said coolant guard for longitudinal movement on the bed of said lathe parallel to said work axis and having side portions extending upwardly each side of said lathe and a top portion interconnecting side portions and extending completely over the headstock portion of said lathe, means for moving said guard from a position over the headstock portion of said lathe to working position intermediate said headstock and tailstock portions and over said tool feeding devices, and a coolant distributing nozzle fixed on the inside top portion of said cover above said work axis, and means for supplying coolant to said nozzle when said cover is moved to the work- 5 ing area intermediate said head and tailstock portions of said lathe including a flexible conduit interconnecting said nozzle with a fixed supply line on the bed of said lathe. .2. In a coolant guard device for a machine tool l0 having a head and tailstock and a working area defined by relatively movable work and tool holding devices including, a power means for effecting said relative movement, and a coolant supply system for said working area of the machine, the combination of a coolant guard movable from a retracted position over said headstock to said working area, power means for moving said guard, a coolant distributing nozzle fixed on said guard associated with the work and cutting tools in said machine tool when the guard is moved to the working area, eXible uid conducting means between said coolant supply and nozzle for supplying coolant to said nozzle, and common interlocked electrical control mechanism for oper- 2;, ating all of said power means in a predetermined operating cycle.

3. In a coolant guard device for a machine tool having relatively movable work holding and tool feeding devices, and power means for effecting :to said relative movement, the combination of a coolant guard containing a coolant nozzle fixed to the guard and movable therewith from a retracted position to a working position with respect to said work holding and tool feeding de- 3;, vices, a second power means for actuating said guard, a source of coolant supply iiexibly connected to said coolant nozzle, and a third power means for delivering said coolant to said nozzle for precipitation on a work piece and the tools of said machine tool.

f 4. In a coolant guard device for a machine tool having relatively movable work and tool feeding devices, power means for effecting said relative movement, the combination of a coolant guard containing a coolant nozzle Xed to said guard and movable therewith from retracted position to working position with respect to said work and tool holding devices, a second power means for actuating said guard, a source of coolant supply fixed to the frame of said machine flexibly connected to said coolant nozzle, a third power means for delivering said coolant from said source to said nozzle for precipitation on a work piece and the tools of said machine tool, and

control means for each of said power means to effect their operation in a predetermined sequential relationship.

5. In a coolant guard device for a machine tool having relatively movable work and tool feed- 50 ing devices, power means for effecting said rela,-

tive movement, the combination of a coolant guard containing a coolant nozzle fixed to said guard and movable therewith from retracted position to working position with respect to said work and tool holding devices, a second power means for actuating said guard, a source of coolant supply fixed to the frame of said machine flexibly connected to said coolant nozzle, a third power means for delivering said coolant To from said source to said nozzle for precipitation on a work piece and the tools of said machine tool, and control means for each of said power means to effect their operation in a predetermined sequential relationship so that energizing said rst power means effects energizing of said second power meanst to move-said guard to working position and wherein movement of said guard to working position operates said third power means to apply coolant to the working area of the machine.

6. In a coolant guard for lathe of inverted U shape mounted on the lower ends of said U shape for translation longitudinally of the work axis of said lathe and adapted tobe moved from a, position over the headstock portion of said lathe to the working position thereof, power means fixed to the bed of saidlathe for actuating said guard to and from working position, and coolant sup ply nozzle means xed to the inside of said U- shapee'- member and positioned above the Work axis of said lathe, and power operated means fixed on the frame of said lathe'and flexibly connested for supplying coolant to said nozzle in re- 8 spense to the relative. position of said guardI with respect to its working. position on said lathe.

HARRY C. KENIPER. HAROLD J. SIEKMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The 'following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,851,004: Donaldson Mar. 29, 1932 2,255,739 Curtis; Sept. 9, 194.1

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 406,591 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1934 

